Modern Childhood: Are Virtual Pets a Game Changer?

Surely you remember the times – not so very long ago, actually – when each family had their own landline phone. In order to call your friend to go out and play, you had to wait for the proper time; you didn’t want to disturb the house rules.

Now, your children can select one of many apps on their smartphone and be in touch with their friends whenever they feel like it. It’s not at all uncommon for kids to get a bit carried away and become addicted to texting.

The thing our parents nagged about at dinner tables were mostly connected to our posture – sit up straight and take your elbows off the table. Nowadays, parents worldwide know that this list of objections has become much longer and that it’s mostly based on the proper smartphone use.

Different Options and Opportunities

Today, entertainment and learning options for kids are very different and significantly wider. There’s a whole market dedicated to children apps so they can play great games and broaden their knowledge without even realizing it. Apps can even help take care of their health. The last group is probably the most important one – busy parents can stop worrying because their kids’ smartphone app can remind them when to take their medication.

Are the “Modern Kids” Missing Out?

Pets usually are one of the greatest childhood memories. Having a living being that grows up alongside you and loves you no matter what is an irreplaceable experience. But that’s not just a one-way street – pets teach you what it’s like to care for someone and worry about other people’s needs.

Virtual pet games really changed this. Your kid can simply download one or several different pet games and play with them on the screen. This new experience can be confusing and many parents are in two minds when it comes to virtual pets. Despite many studies and research, the question of the quality of life the “new age” kids have still remains unanswered and we often wonder whether the little ones are missing out nowadays.

Actually, It’s the Other Way Around

Yet, it appears that not all the games are bad for the kids, or at least not in their entirety. Has anyone ever told you how much he or she wanted a pet but the parents couldn’t afford one or the living arrangements didn’t allow for it? Thanks to smartphone apps, every child can have a pet. We’re not talking just about cats and dogs now, but fictional pets like dragons and even protected species like pandas, as well.

If you give them a try, you’ll realize that some of these virtual pets tend to be more serious than what you might have expected. When it comes to most of them, you do need to take care of a virtual pet like you would of a real one in order for it to be happy. So, feeding it, taking it to the bathroom, and playing with it are a necessity for a virtual pet to be happy.

What is more, you never really know when your kids are mature enough to have a real pet of their own, so it’s better to put them to a test first. These apps are probably the best way to do so. Just check your child’s virtual pet every day to see if it’s fed, clean and happy, and it will be a lot easier to make a decision.

Parents worldwide are practically thrown into the fire of raising the first generation of children who have the whole internet at the tip of their fingers. Just like it’s always been, there is no perfect recipe and no one can really tell you what to do to raise your kids properly in the digital age. However, make sure to do your research before you say no to something because it might actually be an incredibly good and useful thing.